Buildings & Contents Insurance

About combined buildings and contents insurance

• Should I seek out combined insurance?

  Combining your buildings and contents insurance is highly advisable for homeowners but may not be necessary for renting tenants or landlords. While these situations may call for separate policies to be taken out for personal belongings or for the building’s structure and fittings, a homeowner with a mortgage will likely have both of these aspects to worry about.

  There’s no legal requirement to have either type of insurance in place, although if you own the freehold on your home, it falls to you to carry out any repairs if the building becomes damaged. If you’re still paying off a mortgage, your lender may insist that you at least have buildings insurance to ensure that any structural damage will be taken care of with little fuss.

  By applying for buildings and contents insurance together – rather than separately – you as a homeowner can actually benefit from a slight reduction in the cost of your premium. A typical buildings insurance policy can cost £85 – £110, while you can get contents insurance for around £55 – £80. However, a policy that combines the two can fall around the £120 – £150 price mark, resulting in quite a significant annual saving.

• What does buildings and contents insurance cover?
  • Buildings insurance provides financial cover for any damages made to the structure of your property, fittings and exterior elements like sheds and fences. A good policy should take into account the estimated rebuild value of the whole property, so that any unexpected damage to your home – either through strong weather or criminal vandalism – can be easily taken care of.
  • Contents insurance will protect your valuable belongings in the home, from couches and beds to lighting and electronic devices. This cover doesn’t necessarily apply to damage caused by human error, but it will protect the value of any goods that are damaged by circumstances out of your control, such as a fire or flooding.

  In some cases, it can be difficult to determine what cover applies to large, built-in items. For example, if you have a fitted kitchen or bathroom, certain items like refrigerators, cookers and shower units might be classed under buildings insurance rather than contents. With a combined policy, you don’t necessarily need to worry about this distinction when making your claim.

  You can find out more about these individual cover types by navigating to the relevant pages through the links above.

• Additional cover options

  While buildings and contents insurance covers many aspects of your home as standard, there are several types of item and causes of damage that may require extra cover to be taken out. Some insurance provider may offer elements of these types of cover as standard, or they may be offered as additional extras.

  Accidental damage cover is one of the most common extras, which can provide cover for any damages as the result of non-deliberate mishaps, either by you or someone in your home. Say you get a red wine spill on a new carpet or someone accidentally knocks over an expensive vase, this cover could help to either repair or replace items and furnishings.

  Some particularly expensive items may not be covered by your contents insurance as standard, so you may need to seek out individual high value item cover. This can include bicycles, musical instruments, high-end electronics and valuable jewellery. For certain items you take out and about with you – from your bike to your mobile phone – away from home cover is also possible in order to protect your belongings even when not at home.

  There are several other additional options that you may be able to receive from your insurance provider. Protecting your no-claims bonus can help to save you money in the long term, while legal expenses cover protects you in situations where you’ll need the help of a solicitor to resolve a dispute about your property. It’s also possible to arrange alternative accommodation cover if you’re unable to live in your home during repairs or rebuilding.

• Choose Arkwright for your specialist insurance

  Arkwright Insurance has helped countless previous customers to find suitable combined cover for their home insurance. Whether you know exactly what you need or want to discuss the possible options and find the right level of insurance, our expert team can work with you to provide a quote for what you need.

  Call 01204 392 525 today or request a quote online and let’s get started. Through our diverse panel of insurers, we’re confident that Arkwright can find the cheapest possible quote for the right level of combined buildings and contents insurance.